The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-03-02
salaries of the others reduced in proper

salaries OF the others reduce" III proper
ton to the work done.
The purchasing power OF money L
double what it vas when these salarc
were fixed. The taxpaying Powcf OF tax
people is about one-third less It take:
three bales OF cotton TO par what take!
two then paid, and If the storekecpc1
and "planterr who represents Barnwet
in the Senate doesn't feel il, We farmers
do. and we are not "liiting ourselye>
over the fence by our hoot-straps Il.
demanding a change. We are poor a4a
have to stint, and We want 40 bosses Il?
broadcloth and fine linen to fare sumptu-
ouslv every day and patronlze the $50
lunbia Club to Kill time, while clerks,
whose places can be filled at one-haif tie
salary paid, 10 their work. Georgia,
with an assessment CT over S:3;25: o0p:O :Oo0,
which has risen year By year, hel2g
So. 600, 900 more III 1886 than It was IL
1SS2-Gacrgia only pays her Governor
3, ,00A year. South Carolina, thz
':prostrate STATE once, and the "sicA
State" now, for our taxable wealth has
made very little gain il ten years
South Carolina, assessed at Sl3o, 900, ,C00,
paws her Chief Magistrate $500. They
pay their Judges S2,000-we pay -, ,3OO.
Their Chief Justice gets -, 1000. ours
$1,000, and so on in many other places.
Our taxes are eaten Up, and when We
ask to have the burden lifted We are
called ''discipIes OF Henry George. But,
above all things, We want no income tax
in South Carolina. at al events not enc
which taxes the poor farmer whl!c leaT-
| ing the rich men Of other classes alone.
For what is the recent assessment Tor
taxation OF The farmers produce, corn,
&c., on hand Uut IN income tax? IhiS
property IS all the farmer las TO live on
till another crop is made, and IS as much
ar income as the salary Of the comptrol-
Ter general. II that gentleman IS "only
carving out the law, as be claims, 1t
only shows That the farmers in the -4eg-
islature are being careless or indifferent
to our rights, and that an organization
of farmers is necdeC; to watch over our
interests.
The Farmers movement. is not 4
political agitation, pure and simple, but
/, at least, have never d!scIalmcd that 1t
was political to the extent OF securing
needed reforms. We have /. r1SAt to
:sdisport in the political m;!i-pond, >
however distastefr,l it may be 20 Colonel
Younans and other members OF the
ruling clique, aud we shall continue to
agitate those waters till they become
pure and wholesome. But We are not
going outside the Democratic party to
obtain our rights or redress grievances,
and Colonel Ioumans knows It.
The sneering ajiusion TO Mr.. ". L.
Russell shows that he and his fellows
would be glad to have us maliy that
fatal mistake But We cannot attocd t.
abandon our fathers house because ""
don't ike the management. We VII.
sooner kic;i out Eniait!tul ait; incon-
oeteIt stewards and iiss;l:! others "ill
viii 10 Their duty, and u accomplish
this we must organic.
Colonel YoIl1GIs, while s-leariil@ at
the valne OF farmers organizations. and
especially tie Grange, would Yet Keep
tie head OF that order and tn" president
OF the State Agricultural Society as
members ex-otiicio of the boarl: Of agrl-
culture, and that, too, Notwithstanding
the fact that these gentlemen haveshown
no special fitness for the position ald no
proper conception OF the req! dulles OF Z
board of agriculture. lie points to
these two agricultural organizations,
and the inference IS that he thinks no
other IS needed. Has he AeiorGcttcn that
some years ago they botn unanimously
passed resolutions urging the Legls-a-
t,lre to abolish the lien law--hls pet
aversion-and does he not remember
with what effect? Had either or both OF
those organizations represented any con
siderable contingent OF our agricultural
population; had there been fewer pollt1-
clans among them and more real, honest
farmers, there would have been more
heed paid to their wishes. But some OF
the Farmers who voted for the reSolu-
tioDs at the Joint summer mcetinS, voted
against repeating the law II the LeSlS!a-
ture.
Tie example OF treachcry to our asri-
cultural interests, and OF indifference
after having obtained political prefer
ment, are SO numerous in South Carroll
na, that it is small wonder that l am
accused Of trying to ''feather my own
nest" by acting as the agricultural
champion. Especially has this charge
been made and reiterated by those VINO
are already sin" good places or have
friends or relatives il them. The accu-
sation is q confession ot their own selfish
lack of patriotism, and 1t is too old and
stale to serve Nj. Ioumaus II place OF
argument. I can only say that II | go
into the political milI-pond" 1t viii be
with pure motives, and will come out
with clean hands.
The Senator from Barnvell draws Z
vivid picture Of the probable rcs;llt OF
placing the Board OF Agriculture ct the
head Of the farmers movement, and
conjures up Il most irightful catastrophe
as the probable result. ''lmasi2.c, says
he, such IN organization perfected.
The department OF agriculture converted
into q bureau of organization. Then
not-in vain might these seif-sacrifcing
apostles enter tue political nll-pond,
and go into deep water at that. What
powerful ally OF -Nr. Iillmar, wGo has
been coquctting il 4 jack-in-the-boz way
with tins political t:e;:;!tantc might not
be elected 10 the United States oc--ate:
The idea IS So prcpostcrons and 50 uttcl-
lv improbable that It produces q smile
of pity Tor the siclliy Imagination which
thus :.preys upon Itself. Ihis Ian
quo's ghost could never have appearc'!